Bubble cap



Dec. 4, 1951 H. N. LA CROIX 2,576,946

BUBBLE CAP Filed June 22, 1948 Snnentor HEMQY A 1/; (PO/X attorneyPatented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUBBLE CAP Henry N. LaCroix, Newark, N. J., assignor to Foster Wheeler Corporation, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 22, 1948, Serial No.34,415

8 Claims. (ill. 261-114) This invention relates to vapor and liquidcontact devices and more particularly pertains to bubble caps and theassociation of said caps with bubble trays.

The invention provides a bubble cap comprising a plurality of openingshaving closure means associated therewith through which openings vaporunder pressure flows into contact with liquid on a bubble tray. Theclosure means is actuated to open or close the openings in response tothe flow of said vapor. When the closure means is open in respect to theopenings, vapor is permitted to flow through the openings and intocontact with liquid on the bubble tray, the pressure of the vaporpreventing the flow of said liquid into the cap. Upon a decrease of theflow of the vapor bee low a predetermined amount, the closure meanscloses the openings preventing the flow of liquid through the openings.

This invention is particularly well adapted to the absorption,fractional distillation and rectification of composite liquids such aspetroleum, chemicals and animal and vegetable oils, although it isuseful generally to provide intimate contact of vapor and gases withliquid.

The invention will be understood from the description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof and inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view partly in section of one form of bubblecap embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the flow control means of the presentinvention prior to the positioning of said means on a bubble cap;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of a bubble cap of the presentinvention with the closure means opened to permit the flow of vapor fromwithin the cap; I

Fig. 5 is a horizontal, sectional view of a. part of the cap shown inFig. 4 and taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but of another embodiment of theinvention.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawing, reference character l0 designates a bubbletray arranged to hold liquid and to be disposed, for example, one abovethe other in vertical alignment within a fractionating column in whichvapor and liquid contact is effected. As shown, the tray in has aplurality of spaced circular openings ll therethrough arranged in anydesired pattern.

An inverted, cup-shaped bubble cap I 2 is positioned over each of theopenings II, the rim ll of each cup being of such circumference that theopenings are enclosed by the bubble caps. The rims 03 of the caps aresecured in a fluid-tight manner, such as by welding ll to the uppersurface of tray l0. Skirt i5 of each of the bubble caps i2 has aplurality of relatively closely spaced, parallel, narrow,rectangular-shaped slots [6 arranged in a row circumferentially of theskirt with the elongated sides of said slots projecting vertically ofthe skirt.

Flow of fluid, either liquid or vapor, through each of the slots isindividually controlled by control means. As shown, the control meanscomprises a hat strip i 8 of relatively thin flexible material in whichis formed a plurality of spaced flexible reeds ii that are the sameshape as slots 86 in the bubble cap skirt and of such larger size thatthe reed will completely close a slot l8 as will hereinafter be fullydescribed. For example, when the slots are rectangular-shaped, as shownin the drawings, the elongated sides of the reeds ill will be of greaterlength than the elongated sides of the slot l6 and will be spaced fromone another a greater distance than the elongated sides of said slotsare spaced from one another. Reeds I! are formed within the flexiblestrip it by cutting said strip to form elongated sides i9 and 20 and theend 2| 01' each of reeds H. The opposite surfaces of reeds ll arenormally in the same plane as the corresponding surface of the remainderof strip H the reeds being movable away from strip l8 against thetension of the material of the strip, pivoting at the end 22 oppositeend 2| of said reed and moved on a pivot line toward the strip by thetension of said material.

Strip I8 is positioned on the skirt I5 of bubble cap l2 so that each ofthe reeds l'l covers a slot I 6 in said skirt, the strip thereafterbeing secured in position on skirt i5 by welding or otherwise. Reeds I!bear against the outer peripheral sur face of the skirt 15 of bubble capl2 adjacent both of the elongated sides of the slots and both of theopposite ends of said slots.

In operation, vapor under pressure, for example, vapor passing upwardlythrough a fractionating tower, flows through circular openings H inbubble tray Ill and into the fluid-tight chamber within bubble caps I2.Flow of vapor within caps l2 causes the flexible reeds H to bendoutwardly under tension along the pivot line at the end 22 of each ofsaid reeds. Flexing outwardly of the reeds l1, opens slots I Bpermitting vapor to flow therethrough and bubble upwardly through liquidon the tray which liquid normally is at a level acme slightly higherthan the upper end of slots l6, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. It will beunderstood that the greater the amount of flow within the caps H thegreater will be the amount of movement of reeds ll outwardly from theskirt of the caps. When the flow within the caps l2 decreases, the reedsI! will be moved inwardly toward the skirt of said caps by the tensionof the strip It. When the flow within the caps I2 is such that it isinsufficient to move the reeds l'l outwardly and away from the skirt ofsaid caps against the tension of the material of which strip I8 iscomposed, the surface of the reeds I1 adjacent the outer peripheralsurface of the skirt l5 of the caps l2 will bear against said outerperipheral surface of the skirts adjacent the periphery of the slots l6.Pressure of the liquid on the tray II will cause the reeds to bemaintained in engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the skirtof the caps thus preventing liquid on said tray from passing throughslots l6 into caps I2 and thence through openings H.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 6 is somewhat similarto the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5 with the exception that thestrip I8 is so positioned on the skirt l5 of caps l2 that the end 2| ofreeds I1 is adjacent the upper end of slots I6 so that the reeds willflex outwardly along the pivot line 22 which is located adjacent thebottom of a slot I6 thereby opening said slots from a point adjacent thebottom thereof toward the top thereof. The opening in.

the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, therefore, is from the top ofslots l6 rather than from the bottom as in the embodiment of theinvention disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4.

With the present invention, risers are omitted and the requiredcircumferential space between the outer periphery of the riser and theinner periphery of a bubble cap of the conventional design of bubble capand tray is likewise omitted thereby permitting the use of bubble capsof smaller diameter in relationship to the diameter of the riser than ispossible with conventional designs. This results in a considerablesaving of tray area making possible the use of towers of smallerdiameter and providing a more intimate contact of vapor with liquidthroughout the area of the tray. Also, accurate leveling of bubble capsupon a tray to insure an even flow of vapor from the slots of all of thecaps as is required with the conventional bubble caps, is not necessarywith the cap of the present invention. With the device of the presentinvention, the reeds are self-adjusting to the volume of vapor passingthrough the slots of a cap and insure the proper contact of vapor andliquid even when the depth of liquid on a tray is low.

The invention is applicable to bubble caps of shapes other than thoseillustrated, such as rectangular, oval, or any multi-sided shape.

The term vapor as used herein and in the claims includes gas.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the forms of theinvention disclosed without departing from the principles of theinvention which is not to be limited excepting by the scope of .theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A bubble tray comprising a liquid holding portion with a plurality ofopenings therethrough, a bubble cap positioned over each of saidopenings, the cap having a skirt portion normally submerged in liquid onthe tray and provided with a plurality of elongated vapor passagestherethe band having a plurality of individual vapor I passagecontrolling members, each one of said members being formed in the bandadjacent one of said vapor passages and having a surface thereof whichabuts the peripheral surface of the skirt around a passage in afluid-tight manner, the members having opposite sides and opposite endsadjacent the opposite sides and opposite ends of the vapor passages butspaced apart a greater distance than said sides and ends of the passagesso that the members will close said passages. the vapor flow controllingmembers being so mounted in respect to the cap that one end is fixed inrelationship to the cap and the remainder of the member is movableoutwardly from the passage with which it is associated against thetension of said material, the construction and arrangement being suchthat vapor flow above a predetermined amount within the cap pivots saidmembers on said fixed end thereof to an opened position with respect tothe vapor passages with which they individually are associated andtension of said flexible members pivots the members on said fixed end toa closed position with respect to the passages with which theyindividually are associated upon the decrease of said flow to apredetermined amount.

2. A bubble tray comprising a liquid holding portion with a plurality ofopenings therethrough, a cup-shaped bubble cap positioned over each ofsaid openings in a fluid-tight manner, the cap having a skirt portionnormally submerged in liquid on the tray and provided with a pluralityof elongated substantially rectangular shaped vapor passagestherethrough with the longer walls of the passages extending axially ofthe cap, the

passages being arranged parallel to and spaced from one another in a rowextending circumferentially of the cap, and vapor flow controlling meanscomprising a band of fiexible material extending around said skirt of acap and mounted thereon, the band having a plurality of individual vaporpassage controlling members, each one of said members being formed inthe band adjacent one of said vapor passages and having a surfacethereof which abuts the peripheral surface of the skirt around a passagein a fluid-tight manner, the members having opposite sides and oppositeends adjacent the opposite sides and opposite ends of the vapor passagesbut spaced apart a greater distance than said sides and ends of thepassages so that the members will close said passages, the vapor flowcontrolling members being so mounted in respect to the cap that one endis fixed in relationship to the cap and the remainder of the member ismovable outwardly from the passage with which it is associated againstthe tension of said material, the construction and arrangement beingsuch that vapor flow above a predetermined amount within the cap pivotssaid members on said fixed end thereof to an opened position withrespect to the vapor passages with which they individually are associated and tension of said flexible members pivots the members on saidfixed end to a closed position with respect to the passages with whichthey individually are associated upon-the decrease of said flow to apredetermined amount;

3. Vapor and liquid contact apparatus comprising a tray having a liquidholding portion with a plurality of openings therethrough, a cappositioned over each of the openings and extending into said liquidholding portion of the tray, the cap having a portion normally submergedin the liquid on the tray and provided with a plurality of separatevapor passages, flow controlling means comprising a band 01 flexiblematerial extending around the portion normally submerged in the liquidand mounted thereon, and a plurality of flexible reeds formed in saidband, the reeds being attached along a portion thereof to the band andnormally engaging said submerged portion of the cap in a fluid-tightmanner, said reeds being free to flex outwardly from the band on saidportion. each reed being disposed in alignment with a vapor passage andof a dimension to cover said passage in a fluid-tight manner when thereedis in said normal position. the reeds being adapted to be flexedoutwardly from its normal position to open said passage by flow of vaporwithin the cap.

4. Vapor and liquid contact apparatus com.- prising a tray having aliquid holding portion with a plurality of openings therethrough, a cappositioned over each oi the openings and extend;- ing into said liquidholding portion of the tray, the cap having a portion normally submergedin the liquid on the tray and provided with a plurality of separatevapor passages, flow controlling means comprising a band of flexiblematerial extending around the portion normally submerged in the liquidand mounted thereon, and a plurality of flexible reeds formed in saidband, the reeds being attached along a portion thereof to the band andnormally'engaging said submerged portion 01' the cap in a fluid-tightmanner, said reeds being free to flex outwardly from the band on saidportion, each reed being disposed in alignment with a vapor passage andof a dimension to cover said passage in a fluid-tight manner when thereed is in said normal position, the reeds being adapted to close saidpassage in a fluid-tight manner when the flow of vapor within the cap isless than a predetermined amount and to be flexed outwardly to an openposition against the tension of said flexible material upon an increaseof vapor flow within the cap above a predetermined amount.

5. Vapor and liquid contact apparatus coinprising a tray having a liquidholding portion with a plurality of openings therethrough; a cappositioned over each of the openings and extending into said liquidholding portion of the tray, the cap having a portion normally submergedin the liquid on the tray and provided with a plurality of separatevapor passages, flow controlling means comprising a band of flexiblematerial extending around the portion normally submerged in the liquidand mounted thereon, and a plurality oi flexible reeds formed in saidband, the reeds being attached along a portion thereof to the band andnormally engaging said submerged portion of the cap in a fluidtightmanner, said reeds being free to flex outwardly from the band on saidportion. each reed being of substantially the same shape as and disposedin alignment with a vapor passage, each reed also being of a dimensionto cover said passage in a fluid-tight manner when the reed is in saidnormal position and to be flexed outwardly to open said passage by flowof vapor within the cap.

6. A bubble tray comprising a liquid holding portion with a plurality ofopenings therethrough. a bubble cap positioned over each of saidopenings in a fluid-tight manner, the cap having a skirt portionnormally submerged in liquid on the tray and provided with a pluralityof elongated vapor passages therethrough with the longer walls of thepassages extending substantially axially of the cap, the passages beingarranged parallel to and spaced from one another in a row extendingcircumferentially of the cap, said vapor passages having spaced oppositeelongated sides and spaced opposite ends, flow controlling meanscomprising a band of flexible material extending around the portionnormally submerged in the liquid and mounted thereon. a plurality offlexible reeds formed in said band. each of said reeds being associatedwith a vapor passage and of substantially the same shape as saidpassage. the reeds having opposite sides and opposite ends adjacent theopposite sides and opposite ends of the vapor passages but spaced aparta greater distance than said sides and ends of the passages so that thereeds will, close said passages in a fluid-tight mannerwhenintheirnormal position, the reeds being attached to the band at one end onlythereof and the remainder of the reed being movable outwardly from thepassage with which it is associatedagainst the tension of said materialto open said passage by flow of vapor within the cap.

fl. A bubble tray comprising a liquid holding portion with a pluralityof openings therethrough,

a bubble cap positioned over each of said openings in a fluid-tightmanner, the cap having a skirt portion normally submerged in liquid onthe tray and provided with a plurality of elongated vapor passagestherethrough with the longer walls oi! the passages extendingsubstantially axially o! the cap, the passages being arranged parallelto and spaced from one another in a row extending circumferentially ofthe cap. said vapor passages having spaced oppositeelongated sides andspaced opposite ends, flow controlling means comprising a band offlexible material extending around the portion normally submerged in theliquid and mounted thereon, and a plurality of flexible reeds formed insaid band, each of said reeds being associated with a vapor passage andof substantially the same shape as said passage, the reeds havingopposite sides and opposite ends adjacent the opposite sides andopposite ends of the vapor passages but spaced apart a greater distancethan said sides and ends 01 the passages so that the reeds will closesaid passages in a fluid-tight manner when in their normal position, thereeds being attached to the band at the lower end only thereof and theremainder oi the reed being movable outwardly from the passage withwhich it is associated against the tension of said material, theconstruction and arrangement being such that vapor flow above apredetermined amount within the cap flexes the reeds on said attachedend thereof to an opened position with respect to the vapor passageswith which they individually are associated and tension 01' saidflexible material pivots the reeds on said attached end to a closedposition with respect to the passages with which they individually areassociated upon the de crease of said flow to a predetermined amount.

8. A bubble tray comprising a liquid holding portion with a plurality ofopenings therethrough, a bubble cap positioned over each of saidopenings in a fluid-tight manner, the cap having a skirt portionnormally submerged in liquid on the tray and provided with a pluralityof elongated vapor passages therethrough with the longer walls of thepassages extending substantially axially of the cap, the passages beingarranged parallel to and spaced from one another in a row extendingcircumferentially of the cap, said vapor passages having spaced oppositeelongated sides and spaced opposite ends, flow controlling meanscomprising a band of flexible material extending around the portionnormally submerged in the liquid and mounted thereon, and a plurality offlexible reeds formed in said band, each of said reeds being associatedwith a vapor passage and of substantially the same shape as saidpassage, the reeds having opposite sides and opposite ends adjacent theopposite sides and opposite ends of the vapor passages but spaced aparta greater distance than said sides and ends of the passages 50 that thereeds will close said passages in a fluid-tight manner'when in theirnormal position, the reeds being attached to the band at the upper endonly thereof and the remainder of the reed being movable out- 8 wardlyfrom the passage with which it is associated against the tension of saidmaterial, the construction and arrangement being such that vapor flowabove a predetermined amount within the cap flexes the reeds on saidattached end thereof to an opened position with respect to the vaporpassages with which they individually are associated and tension of saidflexible material pivots the reeds on said attached end to a closedposition with respect to the passages with which they individually areassociated upon the decrease of said flow to a predetermined amount.

HENRY N. LA CROIX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,218,993 Rupp et a1 Oct. 22,1940 2,415,048 Sharp Jan. 28, 1947 2,428,889 Nutter Oct. 14, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 546,509 Germany Feb. 21, 1931

